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The Best Instant Pot Mac & Cheese is the perfect quick weeknight meal the whole family will enjoy!
If I had to pick one kitchen appliance I use the most and could never give up it would be my Instant Pot.
Hands down, the Instant Pot has been one of my best investments for my kitchen and my sanity.
It allows me to cook meals my family loves in a fraction of the time and with less mess.
Steve appreciates the less mess since he is the one who does the dishes!
Mac & cheese is a staple in our meal plan and we have it a couple of times each month.
It is not only fast and delicious in the Instant Pot, but it is also a very frugal meal when feeding growing kids who seem to have bottomless stomachs.
Sometimes we have just straight mac & cheese, other times I throw in some bacon to switch things up, either way, it is fantastic.
If I am feeling really “fancy” I might crush some garlic & herb croutons and use it as a bread crumb topping!
Some other fun things you can add into your mac & cheese:
- drained can of tuna
- peas
- ham
- tomato
- broccoli
©Aimée Geroux | https://extremecouponingmom.ca
The Best Instant Pot Bacon Mac & Cheese
Pull together a meal the whole family will devour in 20 minutes with The Best Instant Pot Bacon Mac & Cheese.
Also, don’t forget to check out 32 other amazing Instant Pot recipes at the end of this blog post!
What You Will Need:
- 1 cup chopped raw bacon (2-3 thick-cut strips)
- 454 grams (16 oz) uncooked pasta
- 4 cups of water
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt, divided
- 5 cups loosely packed shredded cheese (see notes in the recipe card below)
- 3 tablespoons butter
- 1/3 cup milk
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- Chopped green onion to garnish, optional
- Instant Pot
How To Make The Best Instant Pot Bacon Mac & Cheese
Follow along with The Best Instant Pot Bacon Mac & Cheese step-by-step process photos and then find the printable recipe below!
©Aimée Geroux | https://extremecouponingmom.ca
Gather the ingredients you will need to make the recipe.
©Aimée Geroux | https://extremecouponingmom.ca
Heat your Instant Pot using the Saute-Normal function. Add the bacon and cook, stirring occasionally, until it is crispy. This should take about 5 minutes.
Remove the cooked bacon with a slotted spoon, place it on a paper towel to drain, and set it aside.
©Aimée Geroux | https://extremecouponingmom.ca
Carefully add the pasta followed by the water and 1 teaspoon of salt.
Note: Adding the pasta before the water will prevent the bacon grease from splattering when you add the water.
©Aimée Geroux | https://extremecouponingmom.ca
Secure the lid and ensure the valve is in the “sealing” position. Set the Instant Pot to Pressure Cook-High Pressure-Normal for 4 minutes.
The Instant Pot will display “on” while it is pressurizing. When at pressure, it will begin counting down from 4.
After 4 minutes, release the pressure manually by moving the valve to the “venting” position. Make sure to use a long spoon or pair of tongs— not your bare hands— as the vent will release steam and may splatter.
©Aimée Geroux | https://extremecouponingmom.ca
Once the Instant Pot has depressurized, remove the lid and turn it to the Keep Warm setting.
©Aimée Geroux | https://extremecouponingmom.ca
Add the remaining 1 teaspoon of salt, cheese, butter, milk, garlic powder, and nutmeg.
©Aimée Geroux | https://extremecouponingmom.ca
Stir until the cheese has fully melted.
©Aimée Geroux | https://extremecouponingmom.ca
Serve garnished with bacon and green onion, if desired.
This mac and cheese will be creamiest if served immediately, although it can be kept warm using the Keep Warm setting for up to 30 minutes.
If the mac and cheese starts to dry out, add an additional 1/4 cup of milk and stir.
Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
The Best Instant Pot Bacon Mac & Cheese
Ingredients
- 1 cup chopped raw bacon (2-3 thick-cut strips)
- 454 grams (16 oz) uncooked pasta
- 4 cups of water
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt, divided
- 5 cups loosely packed shredded cheese (see notes)
- 3 tablespoons butter
- 1/3 cup milk
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- Chopped green onion to garnish, optional
Instructions
- Heat your Instant Pot using the Saute-Normal function. Add the bacon and cook, stirring occasionally, until it is crispy. This should take about 5 minutes.
- Remove the cooked bacon with a slotted spoon, place it on a paper towel to drain, and set it aside.
- Carefully add the pasta followed by the water and 1 teaspoon of salt.
- Note: Adding the pasta before the water will prevent the bacon grease from splattering when you add the water.
- Secure the lid and ensure the valve is in the “sealing” position. Set the Instant Pot to Pressure Cook-High Pressure-Normal for 4 minutes.
- The Instant Pot will display “on” while it is pressurizing. When at pressure, it will begin counting down from 4.
- After 4 minutes, release the pressure manually by moving the valve to the “venting” position. Make sure to use a long spoon or pair of tongs— not your bare hands— as the vent will release steam and may splatter.
- Once the Instant Pot has depressurized, remove the lid and turn it to the Keep Warm setting.
- Add the remaining 1 teaspoon of salt, cheese, butter, milk, garlic powder, and nutmeg. Stir until the cheese has fully melted.
- Serve garnished with bacon and green onion, if desired.
- This mac and cheese will be creamiest if served immediately, although it can be kept warm using the Keep Warm setting for up to 30 minutes. If the mac and cheese starts to dry out, add an additional 1/4 cup of milk and stir.
- Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
Notes
I used a 50/50 mix of sharp white cheddar and sharp yellow cheddar but you can use any cheese you have on hand! Gruyere and Fontina are two great options!
Freshly ground nutmeg is always preferred if you have it.
©Aimée Geroux | https://extremecouponingmom.ca
Other Great Instant Pot Recipes
Check out these other delicious Instant Pot recipes to fill your meal plan up with!
©Aimée Geroux | https://extremecouponingmom.ca
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